Only in Texas...

When I conjure up a picture of a trophy in my mind, I visualize the standard wood base with a person in the middle of an activity - swinging a bat, golf club or tennis racket. I never won one of these things, but that's the limitation of my trophy imagination. And then there's the trophy for the Terlingua International Chili Cookoff. It clearly represents the nature of the competition - a chili-shaped earth - but it's also pretty funny.
Having been to Terlingua on a Big Bend road trip, I can vouch for the eccentricity of the town in the middle of nowhere. I never would have known about the trophy, though, unless the husband of a 2 time winner hadn't emailed a photo to me and asked me to replicate it to surprise his wife. I think Jen, my design intern, and I did a pretty good job, but the crowd at the Texas Ladies Sate Championship cookoff in Seguin thought it was awesome! I only wish it hadn't been so humid - the fondant got so glossy. Oh, and thanks, Floozie for the water bottle.

Spring kick-off

We initiated spring with this adorable wildflower wedding cake at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It couldn't have been a lovelier day! The sun was shining and the wildflowers filled in every nook and cranny in the fields. Since the bride wanted the cake to have a more casual handpainted look, I layered the colors on loosely and with bigger brushstrokes. We also made a sugar paste replica of their pet dog, Izzy, and her favorite dog toys.


We hadn't made a baseball hat before, so I was excited that they wanted a Red Sox hat for the groom's cake, complete with shamrocks! So Boston! (You'll have to click the photo to see more detail). Getting the brim just right was definitely the most challenging aspect of the cake.
We're about to get slammed with lots of weddings and parties, so I'll try to be as diligent as possible in keeping up with the blog.

More Godzilla pics

The Godzilla wedding was featured on the Weddings Unveiled Austin blog as a top 5 for the week. The photographer got some great shots of the cake with better detail.

When cakes attack

It's not everyday that a couple shows up to a tasting and says "We'd like our wedding cake to be attacked by Godzilla and Mechagodzilla. Oh, and can you make a topper of the bride carrying the groom? And maybe make the cake look likes it about to topple?" I love challenges, so of course I was on board with the idea. What's even funnier is that the mother and grandmother of the bride were there, too, and seemed nonchalant about the idea. I'm sure they had finally warmed up to the idea by the time we did the tasting.


The godzillas were both created the same way. I started with a PVC armature that I screwed into a square mdf piece. I started with a layer of rice cereal and then covered it with modeling chocolate to give it a defined form. After that I layered on the fondant. Godzilla was easier since his skin went on a few pieces. Mechagodzilla was another story due to all the "metal" plating that had to be pieced on. The spikes on both were hand cut out of gumpaste. Afterward, they both were airbrushed to match their coloring. Since it was a wedding, I thought it would be cute to make them each a bride and groom. The real bride wanted Mechagodzilla to be the bride.
The cake itself was a classic design, skillfully decorated by my assistant. She couldn't bear to watch me cut into it and make scorch marks with black food coloring, but she felt better about it after seeing it all set up on site in its Godzilla glory.
Although this may be the wackiest wedding cake we've done so far, I'm looking forward to more eccentric wedding cakes in the future. Maybe King Kong climbing the Empire State Building?

Six pack of yummy

I recently had to two orders involving beer and birthdays. This one was for an event planner who wanted to get a cake for her Lonestar-loving boyfriend. I suggested we make a 6-pack design, partly because I'm intrigued by the packaging design. It's modern in a retro sort of way. I like how the Texas icons - the Alamo, SF Austin, WB Travis, and even the state itself- are merely satellites of the main attraction - the Lonestar beer logo. Could Lonestar beer have existed without them, or is their historical importance merely a reflection of the awe that is Lonestar beer? It must be a Texas thing.
Don't think too hard about it. Go get yourself a beer and relax.

Vintage Bowling Bag

A few weeks ago, we celebrated my friend Susan's birthday at the uber-cool Highball. It's a throwback to the 60s with vintage lanes, a rat-pack style lounge and people who are definitely hipper than all of us combined. Thankfully my husband knew how to keep score manually (no monitors here!). Although I suck at bowling, I always have fun and manage to squeeze in a strike or spare in.
I've known Susan for almost 10 years, and she has always been a generous friend as well as very artistic and creative. I made her a vintage bowling bag cake, not only because I knew she would really love it (which she did) but also to show my appreciation for her friendship. It was partly for her mom, too, who was in town visiting. Like Susan, she is a very warm and generous person and LOVES sweets. I hear they enjoyed the leftovers for breakfast!

Valentine's Day Cake

This year for Valentine's Day, we going cute and colorful. There are "Sweetheart" messages scattered around the cake to bring a smile to your friends, someone-special, kids, or just yourself! The flavor options are chocolate cake with either raspberry buttercream or white chocolate buttercream.
We will be taking orders on the cakes until Wednesday, February 10 and will have them ready starting Friday, February 12. We can also arrange for delivery.
The price is $60 for the cake, and we'll be donating $10 from each cake sold to the Red Cross.